


Bickering is my love language

by Heath17_KO5



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, Fluff, General, unc vs stanford
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21709648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heath17_KO5/pseuds/Heath17_KO5
Summary: Christen, Kelley, and Tobin watch the 2019 UNC vs Stanford College Cup game together. Sonny gets dragged along for the ride, too.
Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press
Comments: 10
Kudos: 230





	Bickering is my love language

**Author's Note:**

> This is just how I think it COULD play out. I'm not in it to offend anyone. I love both teams. Basically I just wanted to give you all some fun little fluff this weekend before the actual game. It's unbeta'd and probably full of mistakes. If you like it, leave me a comment please! xx

“It’s our year. I can feel it!” Kelley declares, plopping herself down on the couch between Tobin and Christen and throwing an arm around Christen. 

“You’ve won one more recently than we have. Pretty sure this is our year to take back the title,” Tobin counters, reaching over Kelley to reach the bowl of popcorn in Christen’s lap. 

Kelley smacks her hand away. “We haven’t beat you there yet.”

“Don’t remind me,” Christen grumbles. It’s been a decade and the loss still stings, for Kelley more than her, she knows. She had another year left. It was Kelley’s last game. She knows she regrets the redcard. She knows she wishes things had ended differently. Although, if her goal hadn’t been disallowed…

“Well, this won’t be the year,” Tobin declares confidently. 

Kelley nudges Sonny with her foot and Sonny looks up from where she’s sitting on the floor in front of Christen. 

“You think it’s Stanford’s year, right?” Kelley asks. 

Tobin shakes her head. “Nope. Nuh-uh. I’m outnumbered, 2-1 with Stanford supporters. Sonny is the equalizer. You’re rooting for UNC, right?” 

Sonny looks from Kelley to Tobin to Christen and back, and says, “GO HOOS!”

Christen gives Sonny’s head a playful shove. “They’re not even playing, you dork.”

“Yeah, but cheering for them won’t lose me any friends, either,” Sonny points out, and Christen has to laugh. 

“You have to pick a side. It’s no fun if you don’t pick a side,” Kelley argues. 

“Kel’s right. You have to pick UNC.”

“That is NOT what I said,” Kelley counters, pinching Tobin in the side, who shrieks. 

Christen laughs and shakes her head. Some things don’t change. “Children, children. Do I have to sit between you?”

“No,” Kelley replies at the same time that Tobin says, “Please!”

Christen laughs again. She puts her legs down on either side of Sonny and gives her a little nudge until she moves enough that Christen can get to her feet while still holding the bowl of popcorn. She looks pointedly at Kelley. 

“I’m not moving,” Kelley sulks.

“Okay, then Tobs and I will just make out over you,” Christen replies. 

Kelley wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Ew, fine. Whatever. But Sonny, if I’m sitting behind you, you’re rooting for Stanford.”

“Why did I agree to come today?” Sonny asks as Kelley scoots over on the couch and Christen takes her seat in between Tobin and Kelley. 

“Because you love us,” Kelley replies. 

“And because you wanted to support my support of UNC. Go Heels!” Tobin adds. 

“And we’re fun,” Christen points out. 

“I feel like I’m Poland and you’re all traipsing through me to invade other places,” Sonny mutters. 

“Excuse me, but old college rivalries are WAY more serious than war,” Kelley retorts. 

Christen rolls her eyes. She loves these idiots, she really does. 

“Sorry, Tobs, but UNC is shit out of luck this year. Have you SEEN Catarina Macario play? Kid’s broken all of Pressy’s records. She is on FIRE! And she’s not even our only star player. Sophia Smith’s hat trick against UCLA was no fluke. And don’t forget about Madison Haley and Kiki Pickett! Our bench runs DEEP, Tobs. Plus that save just before halftime from Katie Meyer...I mean, come on.” 

“Yeah, and the temper that followed it,” Tobin points out, and Christen doesn’t want to agree, but she’s not really wrong. 

Then again, they don’t know what might have been said on the other side. They weren’t there. Christen doesn’t like to judge when she doesn’t know all the sides of a story. 

“Anyway, did you SEE Alessia Russo’s goal? She is so consistent and so strong-”

“Yeah, but did you hear how many times the announcers called Stanford’s offense...what was it again…?”

“The best offense in the country,” Christen supplies with a grin. 

Tobin sticks out her tongue. “Whatever. We’ve got the best defense. We’re solid, we’re passionate, and we put the work in. Always!”

“We’re going in 23-1. We’re going in with an 18 game winning streak. I mean, come on! It’s our year,” Kelley counters. 

“Sorry, what was your record the year we played again?” Tobin asks, looking thoughtful. 

“Ooh! I know this one!” Sonny declares. “It was 22-0 and then they- Ow!” 

Sonny rubs her back and Kelley looks far too innocent. “Did you kick her?” Christen accuses. 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t want to,” Kelley mutters. 

“It’s funny. This year feels a lot like that year. You had an amazing winning streak. You two were the dream team, and then...Wait, Son, who won that game?”

“Why do you want me to get kicked again?” Sonny demands. 

Tobin chuckles, and Christen can’t help it. She elbows her in the side. 

“Oof! Chris!” Tobin complains. 

“Sorry, babe, but you deserved that one,” she says, leaning over and placing a tender kiss on Tobin’s cheek to make up for it, even though she knows it wasn’t actually hard enough to hurt her. 

“Is this bickering going to last the whole game?” Sonny asks. “Because I feel like I should get more beer if that’s going to be the case.”

“Ooh, grab me one too?” Kelley requests. 

Sonny rolls her eyes and gets to her feet. “Fine,” she grumbles. 

“Thanks, Stanny supporter!” Kelley calls after her. 

“She’s wearing blue. She’s rooting for the Tar Heels,” Tobin argues. 

“That’s navy. And she’s a Cardinal at heart,” Kelley counters. 

“GO HOOS!” Sonny calls from the kitchen. 

Christen chuckles and hopes they all make it through the game in one piece. 

  
  
  


“That was a foul!” Kelley declares. 

“It was not!” Tobin counters. “She was going for the ball. Her ankle just got in the way.”

“If she was going for the ball why was the tackle so late?” Kelley demands. 

“If it was so late, why didn’t the ref call it?” Tobin shoots back. 

“Maybe the ref is blind,” Kelley suggests. 

“Chris, back me up,” Tobin says. 

Christen watches the replay as it plays for the third time from a second angle. “Sorry, babe, but that’s a foul.”

Tobin crosses her arms and sulks. “You’re just saying that because you’re a Cardinal. Sonny, help me out here.”

Sonny raises her hands in a shrug and doesn’t say anything. Christen’s pretty sure that the fourth time she had popcorn thrown at her she’d learned her lesson about taking sides. 

“Well it only matters if the ref calls the foul,” Tobin mutters. “Anyway, where are all your top scorers?” 

“Just wait. They’re biding their time,” Christen assures her. 

“And getting fouled,” Kelley adds pointedly. 

“Anyway it’s not like the Tar Heels have scored either,” Sonny points out, earning her an attempted kick in the shoulder from Tobin that Christen blocks. 

Apparently Sonny hadn’t learned. “Sonny,” Christen sighs. 

“What? I’m just pointing out it’s even. Nobody is ahead.”

“We should be,” Kelley and Tobin both say simultaneously. 

“We’ve had more shots on target,” Christen points out. 

“Just proving how good our goalie is,” Tobin counters. 

“I need more beer,” Sonny mutters. 

  
  


Christen has stopped paying attention to the banter. Then again, the banter has faded out some as the minutes of the game tick by and the score holds steady at 1-1. Anytime the ball is anywhere inside the 18 they’re all on the edge of their seats, leaning forward, popcorn now forgotten on the coffee table, waiting for that moment that could change the tide of the game. 

Anytime a Cardinal takes a shot on goal, Kelley and Christen are on their feet. Anytime it’s a Tar Heel who gets a shot off, Tobin is jumping up, ready to celebrate. 

Sonny has retreated to the safety of the kitchen table. 

The clock is ticking down. The teams are already exhausted after playing just a few days ago. Nobody wants this to go to extra time. Christen’s not sure her heart can take it. 

Macario has the ball, she’s racing towards the Tar Heel goal. She passes to Haley who darts forward, pure muscle and power. 

Next to her Tobin is muttering, “No, no, no, no, no,” under her breath, her body tense. 

To her other side Kelley is saying, “Come on, come on, come ON!” 

Christen says nothing. She watches, knees bouncing, hands clenched into fists, as the ball is passed to the right. Smith dribbles past one defender, but there’s another blocking her path. 

She watches with baited breath, ignoring Sonny’s comment of “This CANNOT go to extra time.”

The ball gets stolen, and Christen deflates, but then Macario is there and it’s at her feet again and she’s winding up to kick. 

“YESSSSS!” Christen and Kelley jump to their feet as Tobin sinks back into the couch with a low groan. 

“OUR YEAR!” Kelley shouts in Christen’s face, and she doesn’t even care, just hugs her tight. “OUR FUCKING YEAR!”

“Thank God,” Sonny mutters from the kitchen. 

“They did it!” Christen exclaims. It’s her school, but it’s not them on the field anymore. 

“YEAH, THEY DID!” Kelley agrees. 

“We might come back,” Tobin says without any hope in her voice as the final minute starts to tick down. 

Russo gets the ball for a breakaway, and Christen and Kelley pause their celebrations, watching anxiously, still holding each other. 

The shot gets saved and the whistle blows and Kelley’s phone rings. Christen doesn’t have to look to know that Ali is calling, obviously having stayed up way too late in Germany to watch. 

Tobin is sulking in the corner of the couch, clearly playing it up more than necessary. Sonny is already rummaging through the fridge for more snacks, so Christen sinks down onto the couch beside Tobin and cozies up to her. 

Tobin is trying to act annoyed. She’s trying to be mad her team lost, but Christen throws a leg over Tobin’s lap and leans in close to murmur in her ear. “Don’t be too sad. It was our year.”

“We’ll beat you next year. If you even make it back to the cup,” Tobin mumbles. 

“Whatever you wanna believe, babe.”

Tobin keeps her arms crossed and pouts out her lower lip. 

Christen kisses her jaw, but Tobin’s expression doesn’t change. 

“Are you gonna pout until next year?” Christen teases. 

“Maybe,” Tobin replies stubbornly, but she tilts her head away a little bit. 

Christen grins and places a kiss on her throat. “Bet I can make you feel better tonight,” she murmurs against her skin before licking a hot line up her throat and flicking her tongue against Tobin’s earlobe

A grin plays at Tobin’s lips. “I dunno. I’m pretty bummed.”

Christen wraps her arm around Tobin and runs a finger across her jaw. “Poor baby.”

Tobin nods pathetically and Christen turns her face until she can give her a proper kiss. It only takes a second for Tobin to get lost in it. 

And then a throw pillow hits Christen in the back. 

“Get a room!” Kelley complains. 

Tobin kisses Christen again. “Door’s that way,” she suggests.

Christen pinches her side and pulls away. “I’ll make it up to you LATER,” she says. “We have company.”

“Can’t they leave?”

“You know, I’m never going to take you up on another invite again,” Sonny mutters. 

“No we can’t,” Kelley replies. “Because we STANNIES HAVE TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER!!!”

Christen laughs. “Damn straight.”

“What was that dorky thing you said that time? WE -”

“-ARE,” Christen joins in, “STANFORD!”

Tobin groans. Sonny laughs. 

Christen grins ear to ear. 

“I can’t wait for next year when we beat you again!” Kelley declares. 

“Forreal, I’m not coming,” Sonny informs them. 

“I’m getting Ash and Ali to visit next year. And Jess. And-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kelley replies. “We’ll still win.”

Christen rolls her eyes and pulls Kelley into a hug. She holds out a hand for Tobin, who takes it and stands, and she pulls her into the hug too. “Get in here,” she mumbles to Sonny over Tobin’s shoulder. 

Sonny does as instructed. 

Stanford won, but more importantly she’s got friends she loves with her. “I love you idiots,” she mutters. 

“Forever and ever,” Kelley replies happily. 

Tobin nods. “That, at least, we can agree on.”


End file.
